Winder

ABSTRACT

A winder has at least two winding assemblies, in which each winding assembly is arranged on its own carriage. This winder is an improvement over conventional winders, such as those used to wind copper pipes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a winder, such as are used for example to wind copper pipes. Winders of such kind may include two winding assemblies, in which case they are also called double winders and arranged on a turntable so that they may be turned alternatingly towards a corresponding feed device, such as an upstream bending apparatus, which enables winding to be carried out on one of the winding assemblies while intermediate or auxiliary activities, such as tying the bobbin and removing the bobbin from winding assembly, may be performed on the other assembly while it is facing away from the apparatus. In particular, the invention relates to winders having at least two winding assemblies, and which may be shafted between a winding position and an auxiliary work position. Moreover, the invention also relates to winders having at least one movable winding assembly. Additionally, the invention relates to winders having a winding element for winding a workpiece, the winding element including at least one winding flange and at least one workpiece retaining mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The task of the present invention is to enable faster swapping between winding assemblies on winders with two winding assemblies.

For this purpose, the invention suggests a winder having at least two winding assemblies, and which differs from other solutions in that each winding assembly is arranged on its own carriage.

This enables the winding assemblies to be displaced by the smallest possible distances, particularly a rotation through less than 180°, and to move the displacement caused by a turntable, so that assemblies may be swapped faster and machine idle times may be reduced correspondingly.

The carriages are preferably driven separately. This enables drive units to be used that are smaller overall than if one drive unit were used to move both winding assemblies at the same time. As a result, an exceptional amount of weight and similar may be saved in terms of the drive units, which in turn means that considerably faster displacement speeds may be achieved for comparable drive unit costs, or conversely that less expensive drive units may be used to achieve comparable displacement speeds. The movements of the two carriages may also be carried out at different times and optimized with reference thereto, so that the referenced times may be minimized. In a design of this kind, it is also conceivable to use an identical drive motor, which initializes an acceleration of one carriage with its maximum force at certain times, and governs the acceleration of another carriage at other times, which enables assembly costs to be further cut and in particular also reduces the size of the overall arrangement, which in turn means that smaller forces are required to accelerate and slow them down.

The carriages may preferably be displaced about different centers of rotation. In this way, very small turning radii may be selected, so that the turning moments occurring during the movement may be minimized. This allows correspondingly smaller carriages and/or correspondingly faster movement speeds.

In particular, it is also advantageous to arrange the centers of rotation below the winding assemblies, if possible below the center of gravity of the winding assemblies, which enables the moments required for the movement to be considerably reduced, which is correspondingly advantageous.

On the other hand, it is also possible to move the carriages along linear tracks, particularly along straight tracks. In theory, the tracks may be constructed in almost any form, particularly if complex space constraints are to be considered.

Additionally or alternatively, the two winding assemblies may be displaceable between a winding position and an auxiliary work position, these two positions being offset by an angle less than 180° with respect to each other. In particular, the two assemblies may be offset by an angle less than 180° with respect to each other when one of the two assemblies is in the winding position and the other of the two assemblies is in the auxiliary work position. This enables to the paths between these two positions to be minimized, depending on the other features of the invention described in the preceding.

In particular, these two positions may be situated at an angle equal to or less than 90° with respect to each other. Particularly in this case, linear drive units such as hydraulically or pneumatically powered pistons or similar may be used, as they are relatively inexpensive and fast, thereby further reducing retooling times.

In addition or alternatively to the solutions described in the foregoing, in a winder having at least one displaceable winding assembly the winding assembly may be supported on a sliding bearing. Such a sliding bearing has a relatively low profile and because of the large sliding areas available underneath a winding assembly may operate with relatively low surface contact pressures, so that the displacement may be effected with little consumption of power.

In this respect, it is advantageous if a sliding surface of the sliding bearing is an base surface, such as a floor panel for example, on which the winding assembly is disposed. If the base surface is used as a sliding surface for a sliding bearing, the installation of the entire winding assembly sliding bearing is particularly simple, with the result that the entire sliding bearing has a particularly low profile. As a result, excessively deep excavations in the factory foundations, such as are required for known bearings of species-related winding assemblies, may advantageously be avoided. Under certain circumstances, particularly with appropriate consideration for the overall floor construction, special excavations may be dispensed with entirely.

Moreover, a sliding bearing of such kind may be provided in addition or alternatively to the use of a sliding bearing in a winder having at least one displaceable winding assembly if the winding assembly is arranged on a carriage that is supported on a floor or floor panel via an air cushion that may be switched on and off. In fact, other sliding bearings or sliding bearings according to a broader definition may be constructed in a different manner, for example with suitable sliding surfaces, a fluid sliding film or a magnetic bearing or similar. However, with an air cushion that may be switched on and off, it is possible to manufacture a very inexpensive, highly reliable sliding bearing of such kind. Moreover, an air cushion has the advantage that no sticking occurs (stick-slip freedom) when the carriage is set into motion from a resting position. When the air cushion is switched off, the carriage also rests relatively rigidly on a floor.

Since an air cushion is not the only solution in this context, a winder with at least one displaceable winding assembly in which the winding assembly is arranged on a carriage, the underside of which includes openings through which a fluid medium may be passed, is advantageous for the same reason.

Regardless of the other features of the invention, a displaceable winding assembly carriage may be secured to the floor via apertures in the underside of the carriage, in which an underpressure is created, thereby creating an extremely solid connection between the winding assembly and the its base and with regard to the rest of the system.

Of course, apertures in a winding assembly carriage, particularly on the underside of a winding assembly carriage, may be used both to load with a fluid and also for applying an under pressure, so that both of these effects may be used to advantage.

Other mechanisms that are used in conjunction with a winder, such as a release mechanism, may be supported accordingly.

In the present context, a winding assembly includes a winding element, onto which the workpiece is wound, and a corresponding drive unit. Preferably, at least one retaining device is present, with which a completed bobbin may be secured temporarily, so that it does not uncoil before it is processed further, for example finally tied.

In addition or alternatively to the solutions described in the preceding, a winder is suggested having a winding element onto which a workpiece is wound, wherein the winding element includes at least one winding cylinder and at least one winding flange as well as at least one workpiece retaining element, with a workpiece feed provided radially inside the outer radius of the winding flange. This allows the threading operation to be performed considerably more reliably than is the case in the prior art, until the workpiece can be secured in a workpiece retaining arrangement and the actual winding process can be initialized.

The workpiece guide is preferably removable from the winding area, i.e. from area in which the bobbin is to be created, after the workpiece has been secured, so that it does not further obstruct the winding process.

All devices that are suitable for securing a workpiece to a winding hub, such as grippers, clamp connections, screw fixtures or similar, may be used to secure the workpiece, before the actual winding process is initialized. A securing mechanism of such kind ensures particularly during the first windings that they do not uncoil again. Even when a larger number of bobbins have been completed, a securing mechanism can prevent the workpiece from slipping, although this may not be necessary depending on the nature of the workpiece, and the workpiece securing mechanism in these cases may be opened again before the end of the winding process.

Preferably, the workpiece guide is itself mounted on a winding flange, so that it may be retained reliably in its optimum position for a considerable depth into the winding area. In particular, the workpiece guide may be axially movable into and out of a winding flange. In this way, the workpiece guide may easily be removed from the winding area as necessary. Additionally, the distance by which the workpiece guide is movable axially into the winding area may be variable, particularly so that adaptations may be made to various workpiece diameters.

On the one hand, the workpiece guide may also be equipped with an axial guide, particularly on the side facing away from the side on which the workpiece guide is itself mounted, to ensure secure axial guidance. On the other hand it is known from the related art to bring the two flanges of a winding hub together axially, particularly when threading or winding the first winding, so that only the axial space the workpiece actually needs for the next winding to be arranged axially adjacent the previous one is provided. Similarly, the two winding flanges may be moved towards one another other in the present context as well, so that the workpiece is sufficiently precisely arranged, and in particular guided sufficiently precisely in the axial direction to the workpiece securing mechanism, while the workpiece guide spans the existing radial gap remaining between the two flanges sufficiently to ensure that the workpiece is fed reliably into the workpiece guide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, objectives and properties of the present invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to the drawing accompanying the following description, in which a winder according to the invention is represented. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a winder according to the invention in a perspective overall view of a processing installation;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section of the view of FIG. 1 with a tying mechanism in a tying position for the first winding assembly;

FIG. 3 is the arrangement of FIG. 2 with the tying mechanism moved back in a tying position for the second winding assembly;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the arrangement of FIG. 3 with the centers and directions of rotation for swinging the first winding assembly into its winding position and the second winding assembly into its auxiliary activity position;

FIG. 5 is the arrangement of FIGS. 2 to 4 in a similar representation to FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein the first winding assembly is in its winding position and the second winding assembly in its auxiliary activity position, in which the tying mechanism is disposed in the work opening;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the arrangement of FIG. 5 with the centers and directions of rotations for swinging the second winding assembly into its winding position and the first winding assembly into its auxiliary activity position;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment with three winding assemblies, which are movable about a single center of rotation between three working positions;

FIG. 8 is a further alternative embodiment in similar representation to FIG. 6, wherein the winding assemblies are moved in the same direction, not in opposite directions as in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a further alternative embodiment with two winding assemblies that are offset with respect to one another and are movable about a shared center of rotation in a first winding position;

FIG. 10 is a top view to two winding assemblies offset with respect to one another in a second winding position;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a winding hub with a winding cylinder and a winding flange; and

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the components shown in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The processing installation 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes on the infeed side a material stock basket 2, where pipe material 3 is held in stock and may be replaced so that other pipe material, or other long workpieces, such as rods, wire or similar, may be supplied. From the infeed side, pipe material 3 passes through various processing station 4 and at the outfeed side of processing installation 1 reaches a bender 5, which serves to bend pipe material 3 before it is wound onto a bobbin 6.

Bobbin 6 is a part of a winder 7, to which a first winding assembly 8 and a second winding assembly 9 are attached. Both first winding assembly 8 and second winding assembly 9 are located on a baseplate 10 of winder 7. In the arrangement shown until FIG. 4, first winding assembly 8 is in a winding position 11, while second winding assembly 9 is in an auxiliary activity position 12. The main feature of winding position 11 is that in this position pipe it is possible to wind material 3 onto bobbin 6 of first winding assembly 8. In the present document, bobbins 6 are designated collectively with a single FIG. 6, because the accessories for winding assemblies 8 and 9 are essentially of the same construction in this embodiment.

In order to move both winding assemblies 8 and 9 back and forth between winding position 11 and auxiliary activity position 12, first winding assembly 8 is secured to a first carriage 13, and second winding assembly 9 is secured on a second carriage 14. Both carriages 13 and 14 are arranged independently of one another and movably on base plate 10. Carriages 13 and 14 may also be coupled and driven together if such a need arises.

In this embodiment, the sides of both first carriage 13 and second carriage 14 facing base plate 10 are furnished with a plurality of air nozzles (not shown explicitly here), through which compressed air may be forced as needed to form an air cushion between carriages 13 and 14 of winding assemblies 8 and 9 and the base plate 10, and both winding assemblies 8 and 8 are easily movable over base plate 10, possibly in guidance tracks, such as a linear displacement track or a straight displacement track, for instance.

To ensure that pipe material 3 remains wound on a bobbin 6 once it has been wound and does not become at least partly unwound by accident, when it has been wound, pipe material 2 is secured with a tying mechanism 15.

As shown in FIG. 2, for this purpose tying mechanism 15 is inserted into a tying chuck 16 (for purposes of clarity designated by a number on first winding assembly 8). As is shown clearly on second winding assembly 9, this ensures that tying mechanism 15 is arranged particularly reliably and above all tightly on second winding assembly 9. When pipe material 3 on bobbin 6 at second winding assembly 9 has been tied (see FIG. 3), tying mechanism 15 is moved to a second tying position 18, where it is ready to tie bobbin 6, or pipe material 3 on bobbin 6 of first winding assembly 8. For this purpose, first winding assembly 8 swings in rotation direction 19 about a center of rotation 20 from winding position 11 to a second, auxiliary activity position 21 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). In second, auxiliary activity position 21, tying mechanism 15 ties wound pipe material 3 on bobbin 6 of first winding assembly 8. Meanwhile, second winding assembly 9 is moved to winding position 11 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). For this, winding assembly 9 swings in rotation direction 22 about center of rotation 23.

Center of rotation 20 for first winding assembly 8 is located below first winding assembly 8. The same is true of center of rotation 23 for second winding assembly 9. This center of rotation 23 is also located below second winding assembly 9. Rotation direction 19 and rotation direction 22 are both anticlockwise, whereas both return rotation directions 24 and 25 are clockwise.

Once tying mechanism 15 has been moved away from second winding assembly 9 and is already in second tying position 18, tied bobbin 6 of second winding assembly 9 may easily be replaced with an empty bobbin, so that second winding assembly 9 is again ready for operation and may be moved back to its winding position 11.

Once pipe material 3 has been wound onto bobbin 6 at second winding assembly 9, second winding assembly 9 is swung back from winding position 11 to auxiliary activity position 12 in reverse rotation direction 24 about center of rotation 23. Then, second winding assembly 8 is swung back from auxiliary activity position 21 into winding position 11, again in return rotation direction 24 about center of rotation 20, and is ready for use.

The winder 107 shown in FIG. 7 has a first winding assembly 108, a second winding assembly 109, and also a third winding assembly 130. All three winding assemblies 108, 109 and 130 are supported on a base plate 119 and are rotatable about a single center of rotation 131.

For this purpose, first winding assembly 108, second winding assembly 109, and third winding assembly 130 are all supported separately on a base plate 110 by an air cushion via a first carriage 113, a second carriage 114, and a third carriage 136 respectively. Instead of this arrangement, a sliding bearing or a magnetic bearing, or also a blown fluid other than air may be used.

As shown in FIG. 7, first winding assembly 108 is in a winding position 111, in which pipe material is being wound onto a bobbin 106 via a bender 105. Second winding assembly 109 is in an auxiliary activity position 112 and third winding assembly 130 is in a second auxiliary activity position 121. A tying mechanism (not shown here) may be moved up to the second winding assembly 109 or the third winding assembly 130 in both auxiliary activity positions, 112 and 121 to tie pipe material that has been wound onto bobbins 106. Of course, any other activities, such as removing the wound bobbin, may also be carried out in auxiliary activity positions 112 and 121. In particular, third winding assembly 130 may already be in a waiting position in the second auxiliary activity position 121 when the pipe material on bobbin 106 has already been tied in auxiliary activity position 112.

In particular, it is possible to move the three winding assemblies 108, 109 and 130 synchronously via a single drive unit. In this case, it is advantageous if the assemblies are rigidly attached to each other and it is possible to actuate their air cushions together. On the other hand, it may be advantageous to actuate the air cushions or similar of the three winding assemblies 108, 109 and 130 separately, particularly if they are being moved asynchronously. In such an operating mode, the two assemblies that are in the auxiliary activity positions, particularly the assembly that is to be moved to the winding position, may already be in motion when the assembly that is currently in the winding position has finished winding and is to be moved away. In this way, considerable time may be saved in changing winding assemblies. If the assemblies are able to be moved independently of each other, it is also possible to provide a smaller drive unit, since the masses to be accelerated and slowed are significantly smaller for one assembly than for all three assemblies at once. In such a case, the energy that must be expended to slow the assemblies may also be used as necessary to accelerate another assembly, thereby enabling the size of the drive unit to be reduced further.

In an alternative embodiment, each of winding assemblies 108, 109 and 130 may also be arranged with respect to the base plate 110 so that it is movable on base plate 110 and axially along its respective displacement axis 133, 134 or 135 relative to center of rotation 131. In this way, additional working space may be gained.

The winder 207 shown in FIG. 8 also has a base plate 210, on which a first winding assembly 208 and a second winding assembly 209 are disposed. In this representation, first winding assembly 208 is in a second auxiliary activity position 221. In this second auxiliary activity position 221, a tying mechanism 215 has been moved against first winding assembly 208 in such manner that tying mechanism 215 is tying pipe material 203 that has been wound onto bobbin 206. Second winding assembly 209 is in a winding position 211, to that bobbin 206 of second winding assembly 209 communicates with bender 205 such that pipe material 203 is wound onto bobbin 206 for second winding assembly 209.

Once bobbin 206 for second winding assembly 209 is full, second winding assembly 209 is rotated about a center of rotation 241 in direction 240. In this embodiment, center of rotation 241 is not located directly below second winding assembly 209, but is offset therefrom. Of course, a common center of rotation may also be provided here.

Once second winding assembly 209 has been swivelled about center of rotation 241 out of winding position 211 and into an auxiliary activity position 212, first winding assembly 208 may then be swivelled from second auxiliary position 221 into winding position 211 by rotating it in direction 242 about center of rotation 243. Both directions of motion 240 and 242 rotate clockwise about their respective centers of rotation 242 and 243, and are rectified accordingly.

In this embodiment too, the two carriages may be harnessed together and moved synchronously. However, it is also possible to perform the movements consecutively, for example by accelerating the carriage in the auxiliary activity position towards the winding position before the carriage in the winding position is accelerated into its adjacent position.

Winding assemblies 308 and 309 of the winding assembly pair 350 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 have a common center of rotation 351, which means that first winding assembly 308 and second winding assembly 309 may be rotated about this common center of rotation 351 if necessary, but they are arranged offset by a distance 352 along a common longitudinal axis 353 relative to one another.

For example, when bobbin 306 for first winding assembly 308 is full, winding assembly pair 350 is rotated in the direction of arrow 354 until second winding assembly 309 is positioned opposite bender 305, so that empty bobbin 306 of second winding assembly 309 may be wound with pipe material 303 and the wound bobbin from first winding assembly 308 may be tied and removed. As is shown in FIG. 10, this arrangement particularly enables the winding assembly to be positioned at an angle to the bender if this is helpful for winding. The air cushion means that this may also be performed in other embodiments if required.

The bobbin shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 has a bobbin core 406 and is arranged on a winding assembly 408. Winding assembly 408 stands on a base plate 410 together with its carriage 413. A bender 405, which feeds bent pipe material 403 to bobbin 406, is arranged above the bobbin 406.

The leading edge 460 of the bent pipe material 403 is fed into a pipe securing mechanism 461 on bobbin 406. To facilitate this, bobbin 406 is equipped with a pipe guide 462. Whereas pipe securing mechanism 461 is arranged inside winding hub 406, pipe guide 462 is located on a winding flange 463 that separates winding cylinder 464 from winding assembly 408. Winding cylinder 464 is also furnished with tying grooves 465, which extend into winding flange 463 in the form of tying apertures 466.

Pipe guide 462 ensures that pipe material 403 reliably reaches pipe securing mechanism 461 and is secured there. After the workpiece is secured, pipe guide 462 is retracted inside winding flange 463, but in an alternative embodiment it may also be removed in any other suitable manner. In this embodiment, pipe guide 462 has an axial guide (not shown), which forms a channel together with the axial outer side of pipe guide 462 and winding flange 463, which channel also provides reliable axial guidance for the workpiece.

Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   1 Processing installation -   2 Material stock basket -   3 Pipe material -   4 Processing stations -   5 Bender -   6 Bobbin -   7 Winder -   8 First winding assembly -   9 Second winding assembly -   10 Base plate -   11 Winding position -   12 Auxiliary activity position -   13 First carriage -   14 Second carriage -   15 Tying machine -   16 Tying chuck -   17 First tying position -   18 Second tying position -   19 Direction of rotation of the first winding assembly -   20 Center of rotation of the first winding assembly -   21 Second auxiliary activity position -   22 Direction of rotation of the second winding assembly -   23 Center of rotation of the second winding assembly -   24 Return direction of rotation of the second winding assembly -   25 Return direction of rotation of the first winding assembly -   105 Bender -   106 Bobbin -   107 Winder -   108 First winding assembly -   109 Second winding assembly -   110 Base plate -   111 Winding position -   112 Auxiliary activity position -   113 First carriage -   114 Second carriage -   121 Second auxiliary activity position -   130 Third winding assembly -   131 Central center of rotation -   132 Central direction of rotation -   133 Displacement axis of the first winding assembly -   134 Displacement axis of the second winding assembly -   135 Displacement axis of the third winding assembly -   136 Third carriage -   203 Pipe material -   205 Bender -   206 Bobbin -   207 Winder -   208 First winding assembly -   209 Second winding assembly -   210 Base plate -   211 Winding position -   212 Auxiliary activity position -   213 First carriage -   214 Second carriage -   215 Tying machine -   221 Second auxiliary activity position -   240 Displacement axis of the second winding assembly -   241 Center of rotation of the second winding assembly -   242 Displacement axis of the first winding assembly -   243 Center of rotation of the first winding assembly -   303 Pipe material -   305 Bender -   306 Bobbin -   308 First winding assembly -   309 Second winding assembly -   310 Base plate -   350 Winding assembly pair -   351 Secondary center of rotation -   352 Offset -   353 Common longitudinal axis -   354 Direction of arrow -   403 Pipe material -   405 Bender -   406 Bobbin -   408 First winding assembly -   410 Base plate -   413 Carriage -   460 Leading edge of pipe -   461 Pipe securing mechanism -   462 Ripe guide -   463 Winding flange -   464 Winding cylinder -   465 Tying grooves -   466 Tying aperture 

1. A winder comprising at least two winding assemblies, each winding assembly being disposed on a separate carriage.
 2. The winder according to claim 1, wherein the carriages have separate drives.
 3. The winder according to claim 1, wherein the carriages are displaceable about different centers of rotation.
 4. A winder comprising at least two winding assemblies that are displaceable between a winding position and an auxiliary activity position, said two positions being arranged at an angle less than 180° relative to one another.
 5. The winder according to claim 4, wherein said two positions are arranged at an angle equal to or less than 90° relative to one another.
 6. A winder comprising at least one winding assembly that is displaceable and supported on a sliding bearing.
 7. The winder according to claim 6, wherein the sliding bearing has a sliding surface that is a flooring surface on which said at least one winding assembly is arranged.
 8. A winder comprising at least one displaceable winding assembly arranged on a carriage that is supported on a floor or base plate by an air cushion, said air cushion being adapted to be switched on and off.
 9. A winder comprising at least one displaceable winding assembly arranged on a carriage, said carriage having apertures in an underside thereof, through which fluid media can be passed.
 10. A winder comprising at least one displaceable winding assembly arranged on a carriage, said carriage having apertures in an underside thereof, in which an underpressure is created.
 11. A winder comprising a winding element for winding a workpiece, said winding element comprising: at least one winding cylinder; at least one winding flange; at least one workpiece securing mechanism, and a workpiece guide that is provided radially inside an outer radius of the winding flange.
 12. The winder according to claim 11, wherein the workpiece guide is removable from the winding flange.
 13. The winder according to claim 11, wherein the workpiece guide is guided on the winding flange.
 14. The winder according to claim 11, wherein the workpiece guide is displaceable into and out of the winding flange. 